Today, the 20th of November, is a very special day for the promotion, respect, and protection of children's rights.. Do you know why?
We hope you guessed it - It is the International Child Rights day!
Despite the numerous issues that are prevailing and that fail to be properly addressed, children's rights have gone a long way since the 20th of November 1989 when the UN General Assembly adopted the International Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and opened it for signature.
The emergence of the convention changed the way children are viewed and treated, as it recognizes children as human beings with a distinct set of rights.
HappyInternational ChildRights Day !
Test your knowledge!
How well do you know children's rights ? We are inviting you to take part of a fun quiz to test your knowledge on children's rights, and invite your friends and family to do the same.
There is a prize to be won if you manage to correctly answer all our 13 questions!
Are you ready for the challenge?
The State of Children's Rights Around the World
In 2016, there are still around 30 countries in which the situation of children's rights is extremely concerning, and fundamental rights are not upheld. Our campaign denounced states' failure to protect children, but also sought to highlight some successes.
The 8 Fundamental Rights
This month, our advocacy campaign for International Child Rights Day focused on the 8 fundamental rights of the child, found in the International Convention on the Rights of the Child.
This Convention has been ratified by all countries except the United States. Its implementation is monitored by the Committee on the Rights of the Child, a group of experts who give recommendations to states on how to ensure children's rights.
We designated 3 days per fundamental right. Let us give you a brief overview of these 8 fundamental rights by giving you a glimpse of what they mean, and a fact relating to an aspect of that right today.
1. The Right to Life
A child's right to life is a fundamental right which governs all their other existing rights. For children, the right to life is the chance to be able to live and have the possibility to grow, to develop and become adults. It comprises two essential aspects: the right to have one's life protected from birth and the right to be able to survive and develop appropriately.
Despite every child's right to life, 5.9 million children under 5 died in 2015. The majority of deaths were in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, India, Nigeria, and Pakistan . Look how it is distributed amongst countries !
(Source: UNICEF)
2. The Right to Health
A child has the right to a state of physical, mental, and social well-being. It is closely linked to other fundamental human rights, most notably access to drinking water and adequate hygiene. A child's right to health requires extra attention in order for children to enjoy the best possible health.
3. The Right to Food
A child has the right to food. That means he or she is entitled to have all nutritional elements to live a healthy and active life. Despite this, more than half of the death of children under 5 years are caused by malnutrition.
Due to climate change, 24 million children will suffer from hunger in 2050. Half of them would be in Sub-Saharan Africa alone. Today only 30 countries in the world have explicit protection of the right to food in their national laws.
4. The Right to Identity
A child has the right to an identity. He or she should have a name and a nationality at birth. Without an identity, a child is invisible, does not exist under the law and is vulnerable to rights' violations.
5. The Right to Freedom
What does the right to freedomconcretely mean for children? The freedom to bike, to play in a sports team, to sing, to draw, and to think - it's also the freedom to express himself or herself in her or his own way, to manifest his or her religion, and the freedom of association and peaceful assembly.
Daesh endoctrinates thousands of children, restrains they liberties and makes them follow a particular curriculum based on extremism in order to drive them "pure"
6. The Right to Education
Primary school is compulsory for children around the world. A child's right to educationis essential to help him or her develop his or her personality, talents and mental and physical abilities to their fullest potential.
7. The Right to Water
Children should have access to water, sanitation and hygiene, which contribute to their health and development. The right to water means that water should be available (sufficient and continuous), of quality and safe, and accessible to all physically and without discrimination, as well as affordable.
8. The Right to Protection
A child has the right to be protected from violence, exploitation, abuse and neglect. Special protection must be ensured to vulnerable children such as: children without parental care, children with disabilities, displaced children, refugee children and unaccompanied migrant children and children from marginalised minorities, ethnic and religious groups.
Lebanon made the commitment to eliminate the worst forms of child labour in its country by 2016.
This special day also marks the 8th birthday of Humanium. Thank you for all your support, we could not have achieved all that we have achieved throughout these years without it !
